UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): June 7, 2021

 

QTS Realty Trust, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Maryland   001-36109   46-2809094
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)   File No.)   Identification No.)

 

12851 Foster Street    
Overland Park, KS   66213
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

(913) 814-9988

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

x Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class:   Trading Symbol   Name of each exchange on which registered:
Class A common stock, $.01 par value   QTS   New York Stock Exchange
         
Preferred Stock, 7.125% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual, $0.01 par value   QTS PR A   New York Stock Exchange
         
Preferred Stock, 6.50% Series B Cumulative Convertible Perpetual, $0.01 par value   QTS PR B   New York Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter)  or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). 

 

Emerging growth company ¨

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ¨

 

 

 

 

 

 

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

 

On June 7, 2021, QTS Realty Trust, Inc. (“QTS” or “the Company”) issued a press release announcing, among other things, the execution of an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of June 7, 2021, by and among QTS, Volt Upper Holdings LLC, Volt Lower Holdings LLC, Volt Acquisition LP, and QualityTech, LP, pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, Blackstone Infrastructure Partners, Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. and other long-term perpetual capital vehicles managed by Blackstone will acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of QTS in an all-cash transaction. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

 

The information disclosed in this 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 hereto, is being “furnished” and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that section, nor shall they be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

 

Additional Information and Where to Find It

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K relates to the proposed merger transaction involving the Company. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a proxy statement on Schedule 14A. Promptly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, the Company intends to mail the definitive proxy statement and a proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION THAT THE COMPANY FILES WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The definitive proxy statement, the preliminary proxy statement and any other documents filed by the Company with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or at the Company’s website at www.qtsdatacenters.com or by writing to QTS Realty Trust, Inc., Attn: Investor Relations, 12851 Foster Street, Overland Park, KS 66213.

 

The Company and its directors and certain of its executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders with respect to the proposed transaction. Information about the Company’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of the Company securities is set forth in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2021 annual meeting of stockholders on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on March 18, 2021. To the extent holdings of the Company’s securities by directors and executive officers have changed since the amounts disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Changes in Beneficial Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. You can obtain free copies of these documents at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by accessing the Company’s website at www.qtsdatacenters.com. Additional information regarding the identity of participants in the solicitation of proxies, and their direct or indirect interests in the proposed transaction, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.

 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

 

Some of the statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. You can also identify forward-looking statements by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.

 

 

 

 

The forward-looking statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K reflect the Company’s current views about future events and are subject to numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results and future events to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those set forth or contemplated in the forward-looking statements: the ability of the Company to obtain stockholder approval required to consummate the proposed transaction; the satisfaction or waiver of other conditions to closing in the Merger Agreement for the proposed transaction; unanticipated difficulties or expenditures relating to the proposed transaction; the response of customers and business partners to the announcement of the proposed transaction; potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the proposed transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the proposed transaction; the outcome of legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company, its directors and others related to the proposed transaction; adverse economic or real estate developments in the Company’s markets or the technology industry; global, national and local economic conditions; risks related to the Company’s international operations; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including adverse impacts on the economy and our and our customers’ business; significant increases in construction and development costs; the increasingly competitive environment in which the Company operates; defaults on, or termination or non-renewal of, leases by customers; decreased rental rates or increased vacancy rates; increased interest rates and operating costs, including increased energy costs; dependence on third parties to provide Internet, telecommunications and network connectivity to the Company’s data centers; the Company’s failure to qualify and maintain its qualification as a REIT; environmental uncertainties and risks related to natural disasters; financial market fluctuations; changes in real estate and zoning laws, revaluations for tax purposes and increases in real property tax rates; and limitations inherent in the Company’s current and any future joint venture investments, such as lack of sole decision-making authority and reliance on the Company’s partners’ financial condition.

 

While forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s good faith beliefs, they are not guarantees of future performance or events. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, of new information, data or methods, future events or other changes. For a further discussion of these and other factors that could cause the Company’s future results to differ materially from any forward-looking statements, see the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and in the other periodic reports the Company files with the SEC.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)  Exhibits

 

Exhibit
Number

 

Exhibit Description

99.1   Press Release issued June 7, 2021.
104   Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

  QTS Realty Trust, Inc.
   
June 7, 2021 By: /s/ Matt N. Thomson
    Matt N. Thomson
    General Counsel

 

 

 

QTS Realty (NYSE:QTS-B)
Historical Stock Chart
From Oct 2024 to Nov 2024 Click Here for more QTS Realty Charts.
QTS Realty (NYSE:QTS-B)
Historical Stock Chart
From Nov 2023 to Nov 2024 Click Here for more QTS Realty Charts.